Former ‘Instructor of the Yr’ Sentenced for Grooming, Sexually Abusing 2 Pre-Teen Boys: DA

Jacqueline Ma, 36, was sentenced to 30 years to life on Might 8 after pleading responsible in February to 2 counts of forcible lewd acts on a baby, one depend of lewd act on a baby, and one depend of possessing youngster intercourse abuse materials.

She had beforehand pleaded responsible in February to allegations of considerable sexual conduct and having a number of victims.

The previous sixth-grade trainer at Lincoln Acres Elementary Faculty in Nationwide Metropolis, California won’t be eligible for parole for 30 years and should register as a intercourse offender.

“I’m talking right this moment as a result of I’m responsible of my crimes and I’m deeply ashamed of my actions,” Ma mentioned in courtroom on Friday, as reported by Fox affiliate KUSI. “I violated my authentic dedication to be the type of trainer all mother and father hope their kids may have.”

“I ripped away their childhood as an alternative of following the trail of what a trainer ought to be,” she continued by way of tears, per ABC affiliate KGTV. “I let my selfishness overrun the boys’ greatest pursuits.”

Named as considered one of San Diego County’s “Lecturers of the Yr” for the 2022-23 faculty yr, Ma started educating at Lincoln Elementary in 2013. A decade later, in March March 2023, she was arrested after one pupil’s mom allegedly found an unauthorized chat between her son and his trainer on a household pill.

The mom detailed discovering sexually express messages, per KUSI, together with one the place Ma purportedly informed the boy that she was in love with him. Folks stories the chat allegedly included express pictures from Ma to the scholar as she coerced him to ship express movies again.

Investigators then found that the trainer had been allegedly grooming the boy for a yr, shopping for items and allegedly partaking in a sexual relationship with him.

The San Diego County District Legal professional’s workplace detailed in a press launch that the scholar, who was 12 years previous on the time of Ma’s arrest, was not allowed to have his personal social media or his personal digital units, however Ma allegedly discovered a method to circumvent this limitation.

The teacher purportedly created an “unapproved afterschool program” the place she confirmed the scholar how one can talk along with her after-hours by way of a faculty chat utility on school-issued tablets, in addition to by way of video video games.

Whereas the mother and father thought their son was taking part in an afterschool basketball program, investigators uncovered that Ma was allegedly partaking him in intercourse acts in her classroom, in response to the discharge. The DA’s workplace alleges that these abuses went on for a interval of three months.

Further investigating uncovered at the very least another sufferer, courting again to 2020 when that pupil was 11 years previous. KUSI stories that Ma’s involvement with this pupil ended when she allegedly took off her shirt in entrance of him in a classroom and he neglected of concern.

In keeping with the discharge, the defendant “had been grooming younger boys with items, meals and particular consideration and even accomplished their homework for them.”

Prosecutors claimed that it was their perception Ma gained the belief of those college students’ mother and father by way of her sturdy fame and private funding of their educational growth, per the discharge.

“This defendant violated the belief she had along with her college students in probably the most excessive and traumatic manner attainable and her actions are despicable,” mentioned District Legal professional Summer time Stephan in her workplace’s assertion. “Her victims must take care of a lifetime of detrimental results and her 30-year sentence is acceptable.”

“No youngster deserves what this defendant did and I hope this sentence brings a measure of justice to the victims, their households and the group that was left reeling from this defendant’s crimes,” she added.

Talking in courtroom throughout her sentencing, Deputy District Legal professional Drew Hart mentioned, “Discovering out that they have been abused by somebody who they trusted with their kids, and to care for his or her kids, was extremely devastating to each moms and each households.”

Saying she “disgraced the educating occupation,” per Folks, Ma mentioned in courtroom. “I abused my authority, I exerted my energy and management over them, and I deceived them.”

“I simply pray for an additional hand of safety and energy to all of these I’ve damage,” she mentioned. “I’m so sorry.”